In a direct expression of concern, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed his outrage to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a call on Wednesday following the tragic deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza due to an Israeli airstrike earlier in the week.
The convoy, associated with the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), was targeted multiple times by the Israeli military on Monday after leaving one of the organization’s warehouses where it had delivered food aid.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesperson, relayed Secretary Austin’s firm stance, stressing the urgent need for concrete actions to safeguard aid workers and Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This comes after what was described as repeated coordination failures with foreign aid groups. Austin urged Minister Gallant to swiftly conduct a transparent investigation, share the findings publicly, and hold those responsible accountable.
Prior to the attack, the convoy had coordinated its movement through a “deconflicted zone” with the Israeli military, as stated by WCK.
Among the seven volunteers killed were individuals from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Palestine, and one was a dual citizen of the US and Canada.
Secretary Austin emphasized that this tragic incident underscored existing concerns over a potential Israeli military operation in Rafah, particularly highlighting the imperative of ensuring the evacuation of Palestinian civilians and uninterrupted humanitarian aid flow.
The Biden administration has consistently pressed the Israeli military to minimize civilian casualties in the Israel-Hamas conflict and facilitate greater humanitarian aid access to Gaza. However, these efforts have yielded limited results, with millions facing the threat of famine, according to the United Nations.
While the Israeli military took responsibility for the airstrike, attributing it to a miscommunication and false intelligence regarding the presence of a Hamas militant, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured a thorough inquiry into the matter.
Renowned chef José Andrés, founder of WCK, condemned the Israeli military’s actions, asserting that the group was deliberately targeted “car by car.” Andrés emphasized that regardless of coordination with the Israeli military, no democratic nation or military should target civilians and aid workers.
